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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie Botts is an adorable small “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – nicknamed “Onion” – is a large but very loyal friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have been caught in a tussle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those working directly with the whales say the heated debate over their fate often overlooks the complexities of the whales who, after growing up in enclosed habitats, have been closely studied by the humans who interact with them daily.

After the federal government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to China, the controversial attraction near Niagara Falls where they are held threatened to end their lives unless the authorities pays for the cost of their care. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that demand, placing the 30 whales in an ever more uncertain situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Experts say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their vocal imitation skills, problem solving and group interactions point to they are highly cognitive animals – something one caretaker discovered first-hand.

Burgess spent several years as a beluga trainer, a job that required earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Building up those relationships over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of affection. At the beginning, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more vulnerable with you. It’s just so wonderful and gratifying.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was even so amazed by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for a pair of whales with different natures.

“Eve selected me. The other required effort,” she said. “Both transformed the way I view connection.”

Growing Opposition and Facility Decline

Burgess’s connection with the whales evolved against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their captivity.

During her time at the facility, seven belugas and the park’s single killer whale, the orca, passed away. In all, nineteen belugas have died at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park attributes to natural mortality, but which advocates say indicates the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not operate to the visitors over the summer, but the former trainer says she saw with her own eyes consequences of the closure. “Structural materials is breaking off from the pools because they’re in disrepair and not being repaired. The whales are curious and so they take pieces and move about with pieces in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but earlier stated: “The whales … obtain far better veterinary services and around the clock care than any person in the UK, or other places.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was fired from the park in recent months following the death of a beluga, an unwell beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility believed information of the incident were leaked to the press and she was let go soon after.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left her and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s warning to end the lives of its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “practically unfeasible” endeavor, adding any efforts to put down even a single beluga would require “immense manpower”, equipment and machinery.

“There’s no way in hell the caretakers would ever do it,” she said.

Burgess supports requests for the whales to be removed right away from the facility, with its failing enclosures and dwindling staff.

In recent months, the nation’s fisheries minister rejected a request to transfer the whales to China.

“Granting the application would have meant a perpetual life in enclosure and a return to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that whales are meant for the ocean, not in pools for our enjoyment. I could not in clear conscience approve an export that would continue the treatment these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s statements indicate a more general misunderstanding of the realities of living conditions for belugas raised in confinement.

“The people needs to understand these are whales that have existed solely in enclosed habitats and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘end operations’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a solution, ideas have been put forward, some of which have little basis in reality. One proposal called for the belugas to be freed into the natural habitat of the Arctic – where whales are a important part of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A proposed refuge in the region of Nova Scotia, which has received government approval, has proven contentious. The planned site, which includes extensive space of protected cove, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain hopeful that it could eventually represent a long term answer for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s consulted, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “simply an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Different voices say the prospect of a refuge represents a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable approach in the coming months.

The project lead, director of the plan, said the site will replicate the mental engagement and diet the whales receive from trainers, albeit in a significantly bigger space. He said after the health of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|